Note: I apologize - hopefully this doesn't cause confusion, but I had to take this chapter down and replace it with an updated version. The changes were small, but I felt it was significant. Not so significant that you need to re-read it if you've already read it though. Carry on friends.
Disclaimer: Red vs. Blue belongs to Rooster Teeth, and Halo belongs to Bungie/343, not me. I make no profit from this, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 20
Kaikaina exhaled slowly and gently squeezed the trigger of the rifle she lay over protectively. She felt the recoil, heard the shot, stared at the target through the scope.
"You are getting better," Sven said beside her.
"If you mean I actually hit the target now instead of who knows what, then yeah, sure. Better hope if we get into trouble anyone I need to shoot is a really really fat guy," Sister sighed, annoyed. "It makes me worry about Grif. He's not exactly prone to being fit, and he's only fast if he's driving …. I haven't heard from him in a while now," she said quietly.
"Do not borrow trouble. You would have been notified if anything had happened. Besides, you are improving. You know that it takes practice, just like everything else you have learned over the past year."
"I can't believe it's already been a year since I left the Moon," Sister said softly, putting her eye back to the scope. "They make this look so easy in the movies," she said. "Honestly it's a bit of a letdown."
"Do not let Girlie hear you. She will get on her soapbox about movie inaccuracies again." Sister laughed and reveled in the smile Sven shot her way. Initially, she'd started training with pistols, and she liked them better, but Sven was thorough and didn't want her in the field without a well-rounded knowledge of available weapons. The first time he'd put the rifle in her hands she'd tried to pull the classic "put your arms around me to show me how this is done" move, but Sven just shook his head and proceeded to teach her in that calm, serious tone, as usual.
She was finding more and more that she loved that she couldn't fluster him with her flirting. It was somehow soothing. It was also a challenge she happily accepted. She tried to get everyone she interacted with to smile at least once a day, and some like Cody were easy. Kandyse was more challenging. Sven was one of her biggest challenges. Some of the crew told her to give it up - solemn was just Sven's way. But Kaikaina didn't like being told what to do, so she had tried until she succeeded, and then done it again.
"So why are we out here anyway? This range and its weapons have clearly seen better days," Sister asked, indicating the dinky little shooting range on the dinky little planet where they were currently docked. "We've got way better stuff than this on the ship."
"You never know what kind of situation you will find yourself in. You need to be prepared for anything, including sub-par weaponry," Sven muttered, firing a shot at his own target.
"Oh. So it has nothing to do with the person Rick went to pick up? Without you? Without giving you more than half an hour's notice? Since it's not like we can program handicaps like bad weapons and conditions into the simulator on the ship or anything," Sister said nonchalantly, firing again and hitting slightly closer to the center of the target.
"I may have wanted to talk to you alone," Sven said, firing another shot into the center of the target. "I may also have wanted to control the situation when you meet Nate."
Sister's shot went wide.
"Nate. Rick's mysterious brother that people only talk about in vague passive-aggressive references Nate. That Nate?"
"That Nate," Sven nodded. He fired again.
"So, what's the deal?" Sister asked, carefully lining up another shot.
"To put it simply, Nate is not good with people. He has always preferred his research to interacting with others. He is a cold, manipulative egomaniac. He is your polar opposite, Kaikaina."
"Okay. I can deal with shitty people. You know this. Why is he special?"
"Because Rick has a blind spot for his brother, and Nate has always exploited that. I have known him my whole life, Kaikaina, and he is the worst thing about Rick. He was always jealous when Rick would spend time with Connie and me when we were children. He would try and get us in trouble so he could keep Rick close. He has always been mean spirited." Sven sighed and reached over to fiddle with Sister's scope. She lined up another shot as he continued speaking.
"They come from a clan of mercenaries," he continued. "My family - we were just everyday people until our cousin was kidnapped for the Spartan program, replaced with a clone that died. It was pure luck that my uncle saw what happened to my cousin. We protested ONI first, tried to get him back. When it was clear that would not work, the whole family packed up and came out here to fight for the Insurrection. Rick's clan taught us to be soldiers. Connie and I were so young. Demo is the oldest. We started learning to be soldiers practically as soon as we could walk. Our parents raised us to be freedom fighters. Rick's clan is more bloodthirsty than that. Once our parents died and the Covenant became everyone's focus, well, obviously Insurrectionists were not going to be allowed into the UNSC. So we found other work, through Rick's people."
"Wow. Tragic backstory, dude. So...you think without Connie around Nate will have more sway with Rick?" She fired again.
"Undoubtedly." Sven nodded, both in approval of Sister's shot and her assessment of the situation. "And if Connie had reason to distrust our employer, then I have no doubt she distrusted Nate's frankly unnerving level of loyalty to them. Nate is loyal to no one unless they can benefit him."
"Not even to Rick?"
"No. He is possessive of Rick."
"You think Connie had dirt on him?"
"It would explain why she was hesitant to share her extra information with Rick, or even me because of my loyalty to Rick, but felt she could trust you with it." Sven looked at her with a raised brow, and Sister gaped at him in surprise.
"I can't tell you what she gave me. Literally. It's hard-core encrypted."
"You did not give it to Tomoko?"
"Dude, Connie said trust no one, not even you. That means no one! Haven't you watched Raiders of the Lost Ark?"
"That was the right decision, Kaikaina," Sven nodded at her. "Tomoko is most likely trustworthy, but better to be safe than sorry. Have her increase your training until you can crack it yourself."
"So, you think there's a sense of urgency to this now that he's here. And you're worried about me."
"Yes. He is going to hate you, solnyshka, and Nate tries his best to destroy what he hates."
"But why me?"
"Because you remind Rick of Connie. Because he hates what Connie and I are to Rick. Because he hates me, and he knows me well enough to suspect what you mean to me."
That gave Sister pause, as she tried to work out exactly what Sven meant.
"And I need you to do something for me," Sven said before she'd gathered her thoughts. "You do not have to. Connie wanted to keep you out of this life. She only gave you the drive out desperation."
"Tell me," Sister said.
"If Nate is up to something he should not be, we will likely find out in his lab. He does not like people to be there, but … he is supposed to be reverse engineering Connie's armor, and he needs someone to wear it while he tests things."
"The armor doesn't fit anyone else but me," Sister said, understanding. Sven nodded.
"He may hate you, but he is perfectly professional when it comes to his work. Ironically, you will be perfectly safe with him as long as he's working. Outside of the lab, stay away from him."
"Okay, I can do that," Sister nodded.
"You will need to play up your clueless act."
"What act?" Sister demanded, blinking innocently.
"You've been slipping lately, solnyshka. Your cleverness shows more and more." Sven smirked at her. "The most important thing is that Nate not know how smart you actually are. He will be watching. He is incredibly paranoid and secretive."
"Okay. I understand."
"You do not have to do this Kaikaina."
"I know. I'm doing it for Connie. And for you."
"Thank you." They packed up their rifles and left the range, heading back to the docks.
xxx
The next morning, Sven was waiting for Sister at the door to her bunk.
"Are you ready?"
"I was born ready babe," Sister quipped. Sven snorted and ruffled her hair.
"Come with me then," he said. "He is already in the lab."
Sister grabbed onto the back of Sven's shirt as he led the way through the ship. She rarely got lost anymore, but she still had to concentrate as they entered a part of the ship she had never visited before. She watched as Sven typed in his access code several times before they finally reached a thick door with many more security features.
"Do not ever come down here alone, understand? Make sure I know where you are," Sven said softly over his shoulder. Sister nodded vigorously. He pressed a call button.
"Who is it?" a voice said over the intercom.
"Sven."
The door unlocked, and Sven and Sister stepped carefully through. Sister was immediately astounded at the technology she saw before her. From high-end computers and 3D printers, to welding and milling equipment, and some things she could only throw wild guesses as to what it was. It was certainly an inventor's playground. Sven watched as Sister stared in awe at the armor and weapon prototypes that hung from frames and sat on shelves and tables around the large space.
"Impressive, isn't it?" The voice from the intercom came from the other side of the room. Sister turned to look and knew immediately that this was Nate. "I'm sure Sven told you not to touch anything, or bad things will befall you." He smiled as if he was teasing, but Sister could tell he wasn't.
His features were quite similar to his brother's, with a slightly sharper nose and a bit lighter hair and eyes. They even shared the same "I am always slightly angry about something" facial expression. The most astounding difference, apparent in just two sentences, was their voices. Sister would have described Rick's voice as warm and robust, getting hot and loud like a crackling fire when he was angry. Nate's was just the opposite; it was thin and ice cold. It was a slippery smooth icicle waiting to drop its point and end you if you weren't paying attention. While she was momentarily distracted by being impressed with herself for thinking of something so descriptive, when she refocused she decided immediately that she didn't like Nate. No, like was too casual a feeling. She didn't trust him, deep down in her bones. His menacing aura made her want to turn and run in the opposite direction.
"I see what you meant now," she said, looking up at Sven with wide eyes. Sven just nodded seriously, then turned back to the other man.
"Nate, this is Sister." Sister did a double-take. Sven always called her Kaikaina.
"Ah yes, Rick told me about your little barnacle," Nate said, eyeing her like he was making a calculation. "I understand that he wants her to help test Constance's armor. I could do it well enough on my own."
"You know it will be quicker with someone to wear it," Sven replied.
"Very well … it might be interesting to have a new face around. The rest of you have gotten incredibly boring lately," Nate said with resignation. He crooked his finger at Sister. "Come here. Step up on this platform."
Sister looked to Sven, who nodded, and she did as Nate asked.
"I'll be back later Sister," Sven told her.
"'Kay," she replied casually. Sven nodded at Nate, then turned and went back the way we came. Nate hardly seemed to notice.
"Now I scan you, like so," he continued, typing in a few commands. Sister heard a quiet hum as the platform she was standing on lit up for a few seconds.
"Now I have a digital model of you and a breakdown of your skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Look at the computer here." He pointed at the screen, and Sister leaned over to see. "It's locked on to your bio-signal, so I can monitor you while you're in the armor. Go. Put it on. I don't have all day."
"So, what exactly is the goal here?" Sister asked as she promptly stripped out of her casual clothes and began putting on the armor's underlayer.
"The Freelancer armor was designed to enhance soldier's abilities in various ways with the help of an onboard artificial intelligence. The upgrades are incredibly powerful and cannot be successfully run long term without the AI. True AIs are rare and expensive, due to how they are made. They break down quickly, after just a few years."
"Sooo…." Sister drawled. Nate sighed in exasperation.
"Try to keep up, child. My job is to remove the obvious design flaw - the need for an AI."
"Oh … that's really cool!" Sister gushed.
"I know," he said, looking immensely pleased with himself.
"Do they pay you a lot for being that smart?"
"They do."
"Why not just make the suits robots though?"
"I beg your pardon?" He looked as if he was holding back a deep anger at being questioned.
"You're talking about smart AI, right? But there are plenty of dumb AI that work really well. If you just put them in the super armor instead of people, then nobody has to die in war."
"People are still cheaper than VI," Nate said with a smirk. "Also, The theory is that a robot cannot truly emulate a human's judgment or creativity," he continued.
"You mean their idiocy? Computers would think the way people are brave and choose to save or sacrifice people in certain situations was illogical, wouldn't they? They would tell us that we would fail to pull off a crazy plan, and we would do it anyway just to say we tried."
"My brother wasn't exaggerating. You are confusing. Are you arguing for or against robot soldiers?"
"I'm not arguing for anything really, it's usually just a thinking-out-loud kind of thing with me." Nate looked at her appraisingly. Sister blinked owlishly at him. Then she shoved Connie's helmet down over her head.
"Do I have this on right?" she asked.
Later, when Sven came to get her, after a few minutes of silence walking down the narrow hallway, Sister spoke.
"He said he wants me to go planetside next time we stop, so he can see how the environment affects the armor, and how the readings come back to his diagnostic systems on the ship."
"I thought as much. I will be nearby. Do not worry," Sven said.
"I'm not worried. So … you think he's actually going to try and create a robot army and destroy the world." It was a statement, not a question.
"Something like that."
"Do you have some kind of money riding on this? Because I feel like this is the perfect kind of thing to make a betting pool for."
"Really? The captain's brother being a mad scientist bent on galactic destruction is office betting pool material?"
"Absolutely! I mean, obviously we can't organize the pool ourselves; that could tip him off. But still…." Sister pouted as she tried to work out how she could profit from this turn of events. She'd always had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. When she was 7 she had commandeered the wheels from all of Grif's friends' skateboards and made them pay to get them back.
"Tell Tomoko," Sven said. "She loves to organize that kind of thing." Sister's face lit up with delight.
"How big a cut do you think she'll give me for coming up with the idea?"